(A) Theme 2: Augustan Propaganda

What was the **‘RES GESTAE DIVI AUGUSTI’**?

* “Things Done by the Divine Augustus”
* Epitaph of 34 paragraphs written for his own mausoleum
* All bad incidents:
* Written up favourably
* **OR**
* Removed altogether

**EFFECT:**

* Conveys Augustus as a GENIUS
* Tone of humility and restraint:
* “The dictatorship offered me … I did not accept”
* Major distribution
* Copies of the text in large stone lettering across the Roman world

What was the **ARA PACIS**?

* Commissioned by Augustus
* Intended to glorify and legitimise the regime

**EFFFECT:**

* Emphasises pietas and peace
* Aeneas appears
* Associates the concepts with Augustus
* Also depicts him and family
* Image-based

What was the **PAX COIN**?

* Uses honorific titles
* “Champion of Liberty of The Roman People”
* The back shows peace as personified
* On top of discarded sword
* Smoking altar
* Reached a very large proportion of the population

Do the **AUGUSTAN PASSAGES** ‘read’ like **PROPAGANDA**?

* The passages speak only of Augustus as great and emphasise his achievements
* **BOOK 8:**
* “Augustus, entering the wall of Rome in triple triumph”

What aspects of **AUGUSTUS’ RULE** do they **EMPHASISE**?

* His victories and his rule
* **BOOK 1:**
* “Who will bound the empire with Ocean, his fame with the stars”
* **BOOK 6:**
* “Who will make a Golden Age again”

What **CONNECTIONS** are there between the **PASSAGES** and **PROPOGANDA**?

* Convey Augustus as a genius
* **BOOK 6:**
* “The Caspian realms, and Maeotian earth, tremble at divine prophecies of his coming”

What is **WEST’S** argument?

* The Aeneid is **NOT** propaganda but **PRAISE**

What is **WILLIAMS’** argument?

* The Aeneid is **NOT** propaganda but seeks to undermine the empire
* **(TWO VOICES)**